Alumni Stories

Andrea Emmes Cenna

Game Art & Design

[My education allowed me to] broaden my networks and to find other ways to make opportunities for myself, such as starting an on-campus animation and gaming production studio where we worked on projects after classes that we could use for our portfolios.
Andrea Emmes Cenna
, Producer at Mila
Bachelor of Science in Game Art & Design,
2012 , The Art Institute of California—Hollywood, a campus of Argosy University

Producer at Mila

Andrea Emmes Cenna is a producer at Mila, responsible for supervising the development of trailers and animated films. She works closely with project leads, tracks assignments, and keeps the team on schedule. “[A typical day includes] answering emails, preparing letters for social media content, setting up new team members, and troubleshooting any production issues.” She also goes over dailies with directors, works with graphic designers, and sets up events to showcase the company’s films.

Prior to joining Mila, Andrea was an associate game designer at Disney Interactive, a production coordinator at Bento Box Interactive, and a game designer and producer at Hydra Studios. She says that no matter where you are—in school or work—there is always room to learn and grow. “Be open, stay humble, and find the joy in what you’re doing because school is hard work and time consuming. It’s a long process and very technical. But it’s fun and worth it.”

Andrea adds that the entertainment industry is challenging. “It is ever changing—many times, companies will have hiring freezes or lay off teams due to restructuring. When this happens, rework your portfolio again to be current or relevant. Never give up—realize that it's a marathon, not a sprint. Don't freak out if you're not getting work immediately after graduation or if you're contract is up or you’re laid off and it takes a long time to get that next job. Keep working on becoming a better version of yourself personally and professionally.”

Now that she’s a producer at Mila, Andrea helps to cultivate a creative environment with her coworkers. “I work with professionals at all levels and we work remotely from all over the world. Communication is paramount. It’s taking the time to get to know my team, finding out what their passions are, acknowledging their versatility as artists, and allowing them opportunities to grow and shine. If things are slow in animation at the moment, and I know that some of my animators are incredible graphic designers, I'll [ask them] to work in that department for a little bit. Allowing your team to feel free to be creative and not just stuck in their own box has made a difference in how we work as a team.

Andrea, who in 2012 earned a Bachelor of Science in Game Art & Design from The Art Institute of California—Hollywood, says that her education provided technical skills and the opportunity to meet professionals in the industry. “[It allowed me to] broaden my networks and to find other ways to make opportunities for myself, such as starting an on-campus animation and gaming production studio where we worked on projects after classes that we could use for our portfolios.”

She mentions that moving up in the field is not easy. “Sometimes you'll have to do work that might be tedious or boring, but find ways to find the joy in everything you're doing and you'll be enjoying what you're doing. For me, my hard work, can-do attitude, and thinking outside of the box helped me get the position I'm in at Mila and it's been an exciting whirlwind. It’s been lots of very hard work, but I wouldn't change a thing!”